https://dominicantoday.com/dr/economy/2019/05/06/no-paperwork-no-cash-to-renew-residence/
Hmmmm
Santo Domingo.- No more paperwork to renew temporary and permanent residence as of May 8, when it will be processed exclusively online through the Immigration Directorate website, the agency said on Monday.
“The payment will be made in the same way,” Immigration said in a statement.
“The new process will prevent users from going to the institution to deposit the documentation when requesting the renewal of their immigration status,” it said.
Applicants must access the Immigration website, select the service, fill out the online forms and scan the documents, passport, and expired or about to expire ID card. “After receiving the documents online, they will be verified and then the system will issue the user a payment notice, which must be done with a credit or debit card.”
Immigration said that once the corresponding payment has been made, the user must click on the button to complete the process, so that it’s registered in the DGM and the appointment is generated, according to the statement.
“After completing the process and making the payment to obtain the card, the user will proceed to deposit at the DGM’s headquarters, with prior notification, the payment receipt or voucher that will be provided by the system with the date and time of the appointment.”
My Experience on the new system
On June the 6th I went to Santo Domingo DGM office to complete my Temporary Residency Renewal (RT-9) using the new enhanced (Ahem) process and would like to document the process that I endured on that day, it was, in fact, my "Longest Day" too. I had little trouble obtaining my Certifiicate of Antecedentes Penales (or Carta de Buena Conducta - if preferred) from the Procurdaria General Webite, also my Repatriation Insurance via Dominicana Insurance. Uploading those two with my passport, cedula, expiring residence card, photos, and requesting renewal letter as jpegs was trouble free too.
After 4 days of re-evaluation I received online notice to acknowledge the email sent to me that then took me online to the payment page, paid the fee using my Popular Debit Card which was accepted immediately, I very nearly missed the required printing the certificate receipt that must be taken to DGM office, - once you hit the complete button that page is gone. I immediately received my date and time to go to DGM office ( date was actual my expiry date - unsure that was coincidental or not. June 6th at 9.00am was my appointment. I did take a photo of my laptop screen of those online pages using my tablet to take with me, also had all those jpegs on my thumb drive - just incase.
The system says you only need your Cedular, Passport, expiring Resuidency Card with your certificate receipt (but we all know reuirements vary, sometimes drastically!
Although this new enhanced system commenced in May, with approx one month in operation to "fine tune it" my experience (and I do not speak for anyone else's experience) I found the more it changes the more it stays the same. For me it was still unmitigated torture, We arrived at 8.30am there was probably 50 - 60 people outside trying to get in. A uniformed official came out and stated that all people with an 8.00am appointment come to the front, so 50-60 people including myself went forward (silly question), inside the door lining up to receive a number I was told to have all my papers ready for review, I explained I had an appointment and only had my payment/appointment certificate with me, I was told no, everything was required, my Dominican girlfriend argued and we were let into the big hall to argue our case at the small counter next to the copying station, the room was packed full, barely standing room inside, the lady explain the appointment times were going to be dropped as it wasn't working well, she eventually gave me my window number after reviewing my page online. I was number --61 they were on -- 21. I did read no lawyers or guests allowed in, only applicant - I guess that rule didn't last a month. It was the same bedlam as previously encountered in other years. After 2 hours and only on --35 my girlfriend (bless her) went back to the small desk and told the official we were expecting to be complete in about an hour as we had an appointment for just ohoto and receiving new card, and following major heart problems with me I needed my heart pills which were in our hotel, and I was having difficulties with the crowd, heat and standing (sorry for the deceit), I got a new number and was called to window 6 within 15 mins, The lady took my appointment certificate and expiring card, she wanted copies of my passport and cedular, even though they have them online we had to go get copies.... Anyway to have photo taken (4 cameras/computers - only one operator working) and receiving my new Residency Card was another 2 hours. 4 hours total to do 10 mins work.
The JCE office in Veron to renew my cedular next day took 15 mins, although that has changed too it appears non-Dominicans now have to go upstairs to different office, same system although the charge is now 4,000 RD/year. - Can't wait to next year to do the process again, lol.
